


hands to hold, hearts are home

by jaemarked



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Gamer!Chenle, M/M, Professional Gaming, this is vaguely inspired by qzgs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23597959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaemarked/pseuds/jaemarked
Summary: Jeno has always been by Chenle's side.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 6
Kudos: 82





	hands to hold, hearts are home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eab5c5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eab5c5/gifts).



> this is for jewel who has been working very hard lately :( i hope you are getting lots of rest and playing lots of animal crossing because you deserve it. 
> 
> (sorry this is so short)
> 
> Team 小猫咪 = Team Kitty  
> Team 荣耀 = Team Glory

Chenle hoisted the trophy in the air despite the fact that it was almost twice the size of his head. His arms ached, but his cheeks ached harder with the force of the grin that was taking over his face.

_And the champion of the 12th Annual Battle Gods Tournament… Team 小猫咪_

He inwardly cringed at the name, chosen by his boyfriend’s older brother, but kept smiling as Jisung took the trophy from him before he could drop it. Exhaustion was hitting him full force, as the Captain and Battle Mage of his team. He was the last one standing in the battle, and had taken out three of his opponents single handedly.

His heart pounded in his throat as he scanned the crowd, searching in the stands of his supporters to find the one person he knew would be cheering for him and him alone. There in the very front row was Jeno, a proud smile on his face. Victory was sweeter with Jeno on his side. 

Finally, they gave their last bows and walked off the stage. Chenle as Captain had to stay behind to make a speech, and he suddenly felt nervous. He had made speeches before, of course, but never in front of an audience so large. Thousands had come to see the _Battle Gods_ final match in action, wanting to know who would be the champion. Team 小猫咪, the rookie team that had entered the league for the first time this year, or Team 荣耀, long-time member of the league and five-time champion. Even though Chenle had earned the title of _Rookie King,_ nobody thought he would be able to lead his team to victory and yet… 

Chenle stepped up to the mic, squinting in the spotlight. His stomach churned with nerves, but he focused on Jeno who stood in front, holding a banner with his name on it. Jeno who had never given up on him. Who had been there while he trained, who brought him tea and snacks to keep his energy up as his team raided another dungeon. Who despite having no knowledge of esports, continued to support Chenle by coming to every single one of his league matches. 

_This is for you,_ Chenle tried to convey without speaking, clutching at the medal around his neck. 

“Thank you,” is the first thing he said into the microphone. Immediately the deafening roars simmered into silence. He surveyed the crowd once more, trying to commit as many signs to memory as possible. _Our Rising Star, Chenle. Our Rookie King Chenle._ “As eSports players, we face many difficulties as we try to strive for the top. Our only hope is that nothing knocks us so far down that we can’t get back up again.”

He closed his eyes momentarily, thinking back to the time when he was fourteen and his parents had kicked him out. Not just for wanting to become a professional gamer, no. It was because he was dating a _boy._ But it had been fine, because Chenle had Jeno to fall back on. He slept at Jeno’s house and ate Jeno’s food and trained with Jeno’s computer until he was recruited by Jeno’s brother Lee Taeyong to join his team. They were still in the Rookie League when Chenle joined, and they barely managed to make it to the Official League before Taeyong had retired. At age nineteen, Chenle became the new Captain, and somehow lead Team 小猫咪 to their first championship.

“But…we can’t only rely on hopes and prayers. Hard work _does_ pay off. If you work hard, you will go further than if you don’t work at all. Though I have to be honest. Hard work also can’t be the only one you rely on either. Sometimes, what you need is an opportunity. Whether it’s given to you or you make it yourself, you have to seize that opportunity and rip it wide open. You have to keep going no matter what.

But hopes, prayers, hard work, opportunity. None of that would matter without an amazing team to back you up. Whether it’s your family, your friends, or your teammates, you must hold onto them for they are the ones who will lift you up when you’re down. And I’m lucky,” Chenle paused to look backstage at his team who were waiting for him, “to have found both in Team 小猫咪. So thank you to my teammates who have trusted me to take them to the top. Thank you to Taeyong who gave me the opportunity in the first place. And thank you to the one who encouraged me to chase after my dreams.”

“And of course, thank you to the fans of Team 小猫咪 who have support us along the way. This victory was for all of us.” Chenle held up his medal and blew a kiss to the crowd, waving as tears dripped steadily off his chin, staining the material of his team jacket. He remembered when he first received it, right before his very first match in the Rookie League, and Jeno had zipped it all the way up to his chin and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips for good luck. 

Chenle looked at Jeno now, beaming at him from the crowd, and held back a sob. He bowed deeply to the audience, and then hurried off the stage into the arms of his teammates. 

“We did it!” Jisung screamed happily, the loudest Chenle had ever heard him yell. They collapsed in a huge pile, hugging and crying. Hours of training, planning, strategizing, all of it had accumulated into a victory they would never forget. 

When they stood up from the ground, brushing the dust off their matching uniforms and pretending they hadn’t cried, Jeno was standing there with his arms open and a fond smile on his face. Chenle immediately launched himself into Jeno’s arms, and Jeno stumbled backward with the force, though he managed to keep them upright as he tightened his arms around Chenle’s waist.

“We did it!” Chenle said over and over into the fabric of Jeno’s shirt, pushing in as close as possible. Jeno was warm and solid under his clothes, and he needed help staying upright, the long nights with no sleep finally catching up to him. “We did it!”

“You did it, baby!” Jeno cheered with him, pushing his slightly damp bangs out of his eyes to kiss his forehead. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”

Chenle wrapped a hand around Jeno’s wrist, holding it in place. “Wouldn’t have been able to if it wasn’t for you.”

“Nonsense,” Jeno replied, shaking his head, but his cheeks tinged pink. Chenle grinned, pulling back from Jeno as his team started screaming some incomprehensible chant. “Hyung’s here, he’s gonna treat you guys to dinner and drinks.”

Chenle’s eyes went wide. “Taeyong-hyung is here?”

Jeno nodded, and Chenle crushed him into another hug, unable to contain his happiness. Jeno laughed and held him close again, always willing to be hugged. They finally separated when an executive assistant came to shoo them out. Chenle intertwined their fingers as he put on a face mask with his other hand. Jeno pulled a black cap from his pocket and pulled it over Chenle’s hair, making sure it sat low over his eyes. His other teammates did the same, and they were escorted from the premises to a van at the back of the stadium. Luckily, there were only a few fans waiting around, and no reporters, so they slipped away with ease. Tomorrow, they would have to attend a press conference and promotional photo shoot.

But tonight? Tonight was for celebrating.

Chenle slumped against Jeno’s side in the van, nuzzling into his shoulder. Jeno smelled like fabric softener with hints of his cologne, and Chenle took in a deep breath to ground himself. Out there, he was Zhong Chenle, the Rookie King, captain of a championship-winning team. But here, at Jeno’s side, holding Jeno’s hand, he was just Chenle, Jeno’s boyfriend.

And he was perfectly happy being just Chenle. 

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jaemarkism)  
>  [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/jaemarked)


End file.
